


Never Could Have Done It Without You

by 1DE3shipper



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: (they call each other asshole a lot), Bickering, Enemies to Friends, Fluff, M/M, Pre-slash maybe, its meant to be affectionate though, slight language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-04
Updated: 2016-02-04
Packaged: 2018-05-18 03:11:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5895886
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/1DE3shipper/pseuds/1DE3shipper
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Five times Louis is an annoying little shit and one time Liam realizes how lucky he is to have him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Never Could Have Done It Without You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Narryornarry](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Narryornarry/gifts).



> Pinch hit fill for the prompt _X-Factor Era-Present Day: In the process of hating each other, Liam and Louis began to love each other. A timeline of how Liam and Louis became the best friends they are today. (Romance or bromance, it's up to you!)_ Hope this is what you wanted! 
> 
> So sorry this took so long! School got shitty literally just as I was finishing this so it took a while to edit.
> 
> Any mistakes are my own, because the editing that did happen was late at night on too little sleep. Title is from a song I wrote about Lilo for my music theory class :}

Liam is steaming.

It's after midnight, they have to be at rehearsal at seven, and Louis and Harry won't. shut. up. He has his back pointedly turned towards them with the blankets pulled over his head in an attempt to block out their hushed laughter and whispers, but if he has to guess they've probably got earbuds in watching some stupid YouTube video about cats or whatever and have no idea how loud they're being.  Not that that really makes Liam any less irritated.

One especially loud giggle from Harry is all it takes to push Liam over the edge and he's springing upwards, turning towards the boys who don’t even flinch, too wrapped up in whatever they're doing–which was definitely something on someone's phone–to notice his movement and that just fuels him even further as he actually leaps down from his bunk and storms over to Louis's bed where he rips their earphones out.

They look up at him in confusion but all Liam sees is red. "Do you two _mind_?" he hisses, trying to be careful of the other two still sleeping. "It is the middle of the night and _some_  of us actually are trying to take this seriously. This isn't supposed to be a slumber party.  This is work and it's about time you started acting like it." He narrows in on Louis at the end of his rant, the older boy glaring back at him.

"Don't you dare suggest that we don't care about this as much as you do," Louis snaps back, getting up to stand closer to Liam's height. "It's not our fault that you're some stuffy grandma who needs ten hours of beauty sleep just to be a semi-decent person, although at times I'd consider that a stretch."

"Clearly, you're missing the fact that I'm not the only one sleeping, and what you do impacts them too..."

"Guys," Harry whines, trying to get their attention back, but neither boy pays him any mind.

"...honestly Louis you need to grow up and step away from yourself and realize that the world doesn't revolve around you!"

"Because you're so perfect, yeah? Don't act all high and mighty just because a couple of stiffs have told you you can sing. You're just like the rest of us and you can’t bloody tell me what to do!" Louis shouts back. Liam vaguely hears rustling behind him, signaling that one or both of the other two is waking up but he barely processes that fact, too wrapped up in the argument that’s now becoming loud enough to wake the other rooms if they’re not careful

"You have no clue what you're talking about," Liam snaps.

"Because you do?"

" _Guys_!" Harry interrupts again, louder this time.

"What the fuck is going on?" Niall mumbles sleepily, finally drawing Louis and Liam's attention away from each other. Liam freezes and turns toward the bunk beds, where the figures on both bottom bunks are sitting up, blinking in sleepy confusion at the chaos coming from next to Louis's single bed.  He instantly feels guilty, because half of the argument was to keep Louis from waking them up and they had done just that anyways.

"Mum and dad are fighting again," Harry answers—way too cheekily given the tense situation—before either of the other two get the chance to defend themselves.

"Fuck this," Zayn huffs, flopping back down on his bed just as Liam rips his blanket from his top bunk.

"I'm going to sleep on the couch. Be ready to go at six-forty tomorrow morning," he says sharply, ignoring Harry and Niall giggling about their "couple's spat" and Louis's shocked expression as he storms out of their room.

He grumbles to himself the entire way down the stairs, especially careful not to wake anyone else in the house.  Liam really doesn’t need any more people involved in their band drama.  The living area is empty, thankfully, so he sets up camp for the night on the long couch against the wall and pulls his blanket over himself.  The couch pillows are shit, but he’s not about to go back upstairs; that would be like surrendering and he is _not_  doing that.

He realizes that he probably overreacted and leaving the room really doesn’t solve anything, but he’s just so angry that all he can think about is getting as far away from Louis as possible.  What’s done is done now, though, and he needs to focus on making sure he’s well rested for rehearsal tomorrow.

As he plugs his phone is and sets the alarm, he starts to wonder how they will ever make this work.

\-----

"Louis!" Liam bellows, storming across the suite portion of their hotel to the room the oldest boy is sharing with Zayn.  All he has on is a towel wrapped around his waist, because _someone_  got into his clothes…

"Yes?" he asks innocently, but Liam can tell from the glint in his eye that he knows exactly why Liam's angry.

"Do you by any chance know what happened to literally my _entire suitcase_?" he asks as patiently as he can. Liam's not really that mad, more irritated (and slightly endeared, not that he would ever admit it), but he also isn't in the mood to go on some sort of wild goose chase just to find his clothes.

He had been taking a quick shower to wash away the grime that comes from spending the night on the bus, and had forgotten to bring a change of clothes into the bathroom with him. Unfortunately, he had also left the door to his bedroom unlocked, which is a deadly mistake in this band and had returned to a suitcase emptied of all clothes and filled instead with hotel bottles of water. He isn't even going to ask where one gets that many bottles of water.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Louis maintains, but he's smirking, the smug bastard, while someone who sounds suspiciously like Niall giggles from somewhere inside the room.

"I really just want my clothes," Liam sighs. "Because I'm gonna be honest I'm not entirely comfortable going out in just a towel."

"Aw, I might actually want to see that," Louis teases with a wink, pretending to check Liam out. "Could be doing the world a favor with that one."

"Please Louis? I'm really not in the mood, and I'm not above stealing some sweatpants from you if you won't give me my clothes." Apparently, he's not above begging either.

"Oh, please, you wouldn't fit in my clothes anyways, not that I'm opposed to seeing you try," Louis rolls his eyes with an all-too-satisfied smirk that Liam really wants to smack off his face. He doesn't hate Louis, he reminds himself. The older boy drives him absolutely mad more often than not, but he doesn't hate him. Much.

Liam decides not to even grace that with a response before turning on his heels in search of another person (preferably Zayn or Harry, since Niall seems to be an accomplice in Louis's quest to make his life miserable), when he feels a tug on his towel from behind. His reflexes are good but they're not that good and in an instant he's standing naked in the living room on their suit.

Louis is in hysterics as Liam turns beet red, both from embarrassment and anger. His fists clench at his sides and Louis not so subtly looks him up and down, not even bothering to hide his approval.

"Don't know what you'd want to hide that," he nods towards Liam's crotch with a chuckle. "Gotta say, I'm impressed, Payno." Without another word, Louis reaches behind him to grab a few plastic bags, which turn out to be full of Liam's clothes, and tosses them in Liam's general direction before shutting the door firmly between them.

As Liam's gathering his clothes and towel he finds himself wondering if maybe he really does hate Louis after all.

\-----

"Alright, let's get out of here."

The other four heads snap towards Louis with varying looks of confusion and outright disbelief.

"Get out of _where_  exactly?" Liam asks skeptically.

"The hotel, obviously," Louis answers with a huff and an eye roll, as if Liam had asked the most ridiculous question. Which he really hasn't, considering that they're under strict instructions to stay in their rooms and have security watching their every move.

"How d'yeh plan to do that?" Niall asks, the same glint in his eyes as is in Louis's, and Liam already knows he's lost, no matter what Louis is proposing.  It’s incredibly frustrating how Louis seems to have everyone wrapped around his finger, leaving Liam to fend for himself most of the time.  He’s friends with the other lads, of course, but not like they’re friends with Louis. 

"Gotta be quiet," Louis mock whispers. "I may or may not have sent Paul off on an alcohol run in exchange for being on our best behavior."

"So the first thing you're going to do is sneak out?" Liam deadpans.

"Obviously," Louis sighs. "Really, Payno, do keep up."

"And where do you suppose we go?" Liam argued back. "The hotel is literally surrounded by fans and paps, we'd get mauled going out without security. I don't like being stuck here any more than you do, but it's just not safe.

"Wah wah wah," Louis mocks with another eye roll. "Live a little, Liam. It's not normal for someone your age to be so stuffy."

Liam feels himself getting angry, something that really hadn't happened in quite some time, not since the beginning when fighting with Louis seemed like a daily occurrence. Right now feels a lot like the early days, though, when it was Liam against the rest of them and if there's one thing he hates it's being ganged up on.

"Fine," he spits. "Go on. I'm not going with but you all can do whatever you fucking please. Get mobbed, I don't care."

"Fine," Louis snaps back. "Lads?"

The other three look between Liam and Louis, shooting each other nervous glances before following Louis tentatively out the door. Liam knows it's really not fair to them to always have to take sides when he and Louis fight and he feels bad, but he's too _frustrated_  to really care at the moment.

The moment the door closes, though, all the anger deflates out of him and he feels immediately lonely all alone in the hotel room, and for a moment wonders if maybe she should have gone with them.  It’s not safe, he knows that and stands by that fact, but maybe he is being too uptight?  God, he thought they were past this, but apparently not because Liam can’t help doubting everything about himself for the amount of time he’s by himself.

And honestly he has a hard time not being smug when the four of them are herded back in within five minutes by an unimpressed-looking Paul, who threatens to keep them under constant supervision if this is what happens when they're alone for less than an hour.

Things are tense the rest of the day, Louis clearly embarrassed at having been caught and Liam certainly isn't going to make him feel better, still embarrassed for being the odd one out, while Zayn, Niall, and Harry awkwardly try to act as if nothing is wrong. Their attempts fall flat, but Liam gives them credit for trying.

Not a word is exchanged between him and Louis the rest of the day, so it comes as a surprise when a body climbs into bed behind him.

"You were right," the body–Louis–mumbles before Liam gets the chance to roll over. "Got spotted literally in a second. Really lucky Paul and Paddy found is at the same time."

"Course I was right," Liam responds, but there's no malice in his words at all. Truth be told, Liam had worried the entirety of the ten minutes they were gone and he tells Louis as much, turning over to face the smaller boy.

"Knew you would be," Louis grins and Liam grins back just as genuinely. "You'd be lost without us." He reaches a hand up to ruffle Liam's hair, something Liam would typically protest but finds himself giggling instead, leaning into the touch. "I hate it when we fight," Louis admits.

"Me too," Liam agrees. "Truce?"

"Yeah," Louis nods with a sigh of relief. "Should probably know by now to listen to you."

"You really should," Liam agrees, grinning fondly. "Take it you sleeping here tonight?" he asks when Louis moves closer.

"If you don't mind?" he asks sheepishly, as if afraid Liam might say no.

"Nah, c'mere," he says, opening his arms, signaling that he wants the older boy closer. Sharing beds isn't foreign to any of them, as hotel rooms tend to get lonely after so long on the road, so Louis doesn't hesitate to cuddle into Liam's embrace. "Night."

"Night, Li," Louis mumbles sleepily. "Love you."

"Love you too," Liam responds softly, and he really means it.

\-----

Liam is nearly asleep on the couch in the back of their bus, earbuds in and allowing the gentle rocking of the vehicle to relax him as they make the eight hour trip to their next destination. His eyes close and he feels himself just about to be pulled under when a weight flops down on his chest, startling him awake immediately.

"Hi Liam," Louis greets, much too softly for the energy that Liam can sense coursing through him.

"Was just about to fall asleep, mate," Liam whines. "What do you want?"

Louis shrugs, still laying on top of him, head nuzzled into Liam's neck as if he plans on falling asleep right then and there too. "Dunno, just wanted to see what you were up to. Niall and Harry are playing Mario Kart or something but they're both shit and it was painful to watch. I think Zayn's asleep or brooding in his bunk or something equally boring." Liam giggles at the exaggerated shudder Louis gives at the thought of disturbing Zayn's quiet time.  None of them are brave enough.  "Which leaves me with you.

"Oi, if I'm your last choice then you can just get off me!" Liam laughs, bucking his legs in an attempt to dislodge the boy clinging to his torso like a koala.

"Nononono," Louis whines. "Don't make me get up! You know you're my favorite, Liam, wouldn't want to be with anyone else!"

"Course not, Louis," Liam shakes his head but stills. "So did you actually want to do something or were you planning on crushing my lungs until we get to Florida?"

Louis shrugs again. "Hadn't thought that far ahead of I'm honest. Kinda hoped you would entertain me. A nap wouldn't be too bad though."

Liam has to laugh at the hopeful expression on Louis's face. He's not too heavy, if Liam's honest, and it's almost comfortable to have the solid weight on top of him, less lonely than sleeping alone every night. "If I close my eyes are you going to behave or am I going to regret not throwing you off?" he asks as seriously as he can manage when Louis is giving his most innocent puppy dog eyes (which look more ridiculous than anything, but that somehow makes it even more endearing).

"I'll be good. Promise," Louis says, punctuating it with a pinch to Liam's nipple which, okay, he totally should have seen coming. "Starting now."

He gives an innocent smile and Liam can't help the laugh that escapes and the fond look that follows. It's times like these where he realizes just how far the two of them have come in their friendship. Two years ago, Liam would have smacked Louis in the head for pinching him and they wouldn’t have spoken for the rest of the day.  Louis probably wouldn't have even sought him out in the first place, to be fair. Now, though, it feel so natural laying with the other boy on top of him, messing around like they've been friends since childhood.

"I'm going to hold you to that this time, asshole," Liam responds as seriously as he's able (which is not very seriously at all, but he can pretend) and Louis nods back with equal seriousness. 

"Deal," he agrees with a yawn that reveals to Liam how thin Louis must be stretching himself trying to keep a smile going all day when he's clearly just as exhausted by this point in the tour as the rest of them. "Night Liam," he mumbles against Liam's neck, eyes closing seemingly on their own accord and Liam holds his arms tighter around the smaller boy.  To make sure he doesn’t fall off the couch, practical purposes.  Not because he feels the need to protect Louis.  Maybe a little, though. 

"Yeah, rest up mate," Liam replies, closing his own eyes again before allowing the hum of the bus to pull him under.  His last though before he's asleep is that he's never feel more at peace in his life.

\-----

Out of the corner of his eye, Liam can see Louis approaching with what can only be a bottle of water hidden behind his back. But just because he sees it, doesn't mean he has enough time to react.

It's with a shout that Louis attacks, reaching as high as he can to drench Liam from head to toe with lukewarm water.

"Oh, it's on asshole!" Liam shouts back, barely loud enough for Louis to hear over the screams of the crowd. It's become a thing, for some reason, picking at each other onstage. It entertains the fans to no end and Liam can't say he doesn't enjoy it too. Growing up he never had a friend close enough to mess with like this, always too concerned with going too far, saying or doing the wrong thing and losing any friendship he had. With Louis that has never been a problem, though, at least not since the beginning, and it truly makes Liam feel more alive than he ever has in his life.

While Liam searches frantically for a full water bottle with which to enact his revenge, Louis sprints back up the catwalk, cackling as he looks over his shoulder to make sure Liam isn't close behind.

Just then, Liam's eyes fall on a water gun that someone must have tossed onstage and he can't help the smile that breaks out in his face. And it's even filled already. Perfect.  Shame Louis won’t be able to defend himself, Liam thinks, that could get _really_  interesting.

Liam narrows in on his target to see that Louis has resumed singing–something Liam should probably be paying attention to as well, but he's having entirely too much fun–and he's no longer checking up on Liam.  Bad move. 

As stealthily as possible, he makes his way over to Louis's section, water gun behind his back. The screams of the crowd get louder the closer he gets, as if they know what's about to happen and thoroughly approve, and Louis turns his head to see what they're going on about.

Liam's quicker this time though, and he has the water gun raised and finger on the trigger as soon as Louis faces him and next thing they know, Louis is being sprayed right in the face.

"Ahhhhh!" he shrieks (Louis would maintain that he did no such thing, but it was a shriek), bringing his hands up to protect his eyes.

"That's payback mate!" Liam replies through his laughter, smile stretching across his entire face.

"You're dead to me, Payne!" Louis shouts back, grin taking over his own features despite the water dripping down his face as he launches himself directly at the younger boy. Liam is much bigger, so he barely moves at the impact, instead picking Louis up and throwing him over his shoulder, much to the delight of the audience. They're both soaking wet, and Liam can feel Louis's hair drenching whatever dry spots had remained on his shirt after Louis’s earlier attack, but he's too happy to care, high with the excitement of performing with his best friends and drunk off the energy coming from the crowd.

"Put me down you bastard!" Louis screams, slapping at whatever part of Liam he can reach but he's laughing too hard to have much of an impact and Liam's laughing and the boys are laughing and the fans are going nuts and all Liam can think is how much he loves his life.

\-----

Liam paces back and forth in his hotel room, absolutely bored out of his mind and stir crazy. It's times like this when Liam really misses sharing hotel rooms with the other lads. As infuriating as it could be constantly living on top of each other, at least it was never lonely.

Now, it's hard to keep track of where everyone is after the shows, who went out, who went to bed early, who's just as bored as him. They have key cards to all the rooms on the floor (or, at least Liam does—he has no clue if they trust Louis with access to everyone else’s room) but no one really uses them. It's like they don't want to bother each other in their downtime, seeing as they're already together the rest of the day. That's Liam's logic anyways.

He flops backwards on his bed, turns the TV on, flips through a few channels, and turns it off to resume pacing. He's about to repeat the process when the door clicks open.

He turns to face the intruder, but relaxes when he sees it's only Louis (who apparently does get keycards…Liam will have to remember that).

"Can't sleep?" Liam asks with a sad smile.

Louis shrugs sheepishly, coming no further into the room any leaning back against the doorway. "You either, I assume."

"Never can after a show," Liam agrees. He gestures to the bed. "Have a seat."

Louis accepts the invitation and tugs Liam down with him, so that Liam lands on top of the smaller boy who huffs out a protest. It's his own fault though, so Liam's not sorry.

"Could put on a movie?" Louis suggests. "Like, on your laptop? All the TV is in Swedish or something."

"You're getting up to get it then," Liam responds, rolling over and burying his face in the pillow.

"Thought you were restless," Louis grumbles as he crawls to Liam's suitcase for his laptop and the first DVD he can find, which turns out to be Thor.

"Doesn't mean I'm not lazy," Liam says, peeking an eye at the older boy, who just rolls his eyes.  While he’s up, Louis takes the opportunity to strip off his t-shirt so that he’s just in sweats like Liam, apparently planning on staying the night.

"Whatever, Batman," he huffs fondly, returning to the bed where Liam immediately snuggles into his side. "You gonna fall asleep on me?" Liam hadn't noticed his eyes drooping until Louis pointed it out, but now he realizes that he is pretty tired, actually, though still feels a buzz of energy under his skin that keeps him from nodding off entirely.

Liam just hums noncommittally instead of answering and Louis gives a fond chuckle. He pops the movie in the disc drive and presses play, before moving to wrap an arm around his younger bandmate. Liam relaxes into him and feels the remaining energy slowly drain out of him as Louis gently scratches at the back of his head.

"Thanks Lou," he mumbles sleepily, allowing his eyes to drift closed.

"Anytime, babe," Louis responds. "Someone's gotta look after you, yeah?"

Liam hums contentedly and slips closer to unconsciousness. He may not have a lot of certainty in his life–that's what happens when you're never in the same place for longer than a few days–but he is completely certain that he has never been more grateful for anything than he is for having met Louis Tomlinson.


End file.
